Cut out the misery of vitamin deficiency

IS YOUR diet delivering all the nutrients you need? According to the NHS, “most people don’t need to take vitamin supplements and are able to get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet”.

Most people are able to get the vitamins and minerals they need without supplements

But the truth is we are not. The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey – a breakdown of our nutritional health – shows millions of Britons are falling short of the minimum intakes of vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

The survey looked at 11 key nutrients and in every case at least one population group is failing to meet the minimum needed for health – the lower reference nutrient intake, LRNI.

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Dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton, an adviser to the Health Supplements Information Service, says: “The Department of Health do not want people to see supplements as a replacement for food – and no one would argue with that.

“But we have to accept the reality that most people are not getting all the nutrients they need because they are overloading themselves with high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods such as soft drinks, biscuits, confectionery and crisps.

“There’s a huge need for information tailored to the real world. That means giving balanced dietary advice but acknowledging the benefits of taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement.

“Also, for those who don’t eat oily fish, it’s vital to source a proven fish oil supplement, such as Equazen, which provides the right balance of omega-3 fatty acids.”

Here are the nutrient gaps exposed by the survey and the groups at greatest risk of deficiency:

Adults over the age of 65 have the best intakes but four per cent still fail to meet the LRNI, as do one in 10 adults . Signs of deficiency can include poor night vision and being susceptible to throat and chest infections.

Vitamin D

This is the one nutrient that we cannot get from diet alone with one in five adults aged 19 to 64 having levels below the recommended target of 25nmol/L.

Public Health England advises that all adults and children, including breast-fed babies, take a 10mcg supplement daily during autumn and winter.

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